San Diego International Airport enhances ridesharing operations with start of service by Lyft and Uber

Airport travelers now have more options for ground transportation providers

Thursday, July 2, 2015

SAN DIEGO – July 2, 2015 – The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority today signed permits for ridesharing companies Lyft and Uber to begin operations at San Diego International Airport (SAN) as part of a pilot program. The two ridesharing companies will begin operations at SAN immediately, augmenting existing service provided by Opoli.

Airport Authority staff has worked with the ridesharing industry over the past year to draft a permit for Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) to operate at SAN. On Wednesday, the Airport Authority Board adopted a resolution that removes the fingerprinting requirement from the Airport Authority’s background check process for several ground transportation providers, including TNCs, taxi cab providers and shared ride vans or Vehicles for Hire. The TNCs will continue to conduct their own accredited background checks of their drivers. The decision helped facilitate the issuance of TNC permits while still ensuring a level playing field for all ground transportation providers at SAN.

“The Airport Authority always looks for ways to improve the customer experience for our passengers,” said Airport Authority Board Chair Robert Gleason. “We’re excited to offer the latest in-demand transportation options to the traveling public, and we’re doing so while keeping safety as a top priority.”

“SAN’s permitting policies for Transportation Network Companies are stringent, and it has taken time to structure a mutually beneficial agreement,” said Airport Authority Board member April Boling. “We have sought to ensure a level playing field for all of our commercial ground transportation providers, and I think the current permit achieves that goal. We can now offer a wide variety of ground transportation options that passengers desire, and we look forward to cementing similar agreements with other TNCs in the near future.”

"After months of collaborative work toward a permitting agreement, we're excited to announce that travelers will be able to request a Lyft ride at San Diego International Airport," said Bakari Brock, Lyft's Director of Business Development. "We'd like to thank the Airport Authority Board and SAN staff for welcoming ridesharing as a safe, reliable, and innovative transportation option for San Diego visitors and residents."

"Riders and drivers in San Diego have made clear their desire for ridesharing options like Uber at San Diego Airport, as they have done at airports across the nation. We look forward to connecting San Diegans and visitors to safe, reliable, and affordable rides to and from the Airport," said Christopher Ballard, General Manager of Uber San Diego.

The pilot program for all TNCs will run through June 30, 2016, after which the Airport Authority will evaluate how it’s working and determine if tweaks to the process or regulations need to be made.